LabVIEW 8 DSC Simplifies Distributed Development

National Instruments LabVIEW 8 delivers distributed intelligence as a unified communication and management platform for the rapid development of distributed applications. The NI LabVIEW 8 Datalogging and Supervisory Control (DSC) Module specifically addresses the unique requirements of developing distributed industrial measurement and control applications and high-channel-count monitoring applications.

Previously, LabVIEW DSC Module users had to incorporate a new programming concept – I/O tags – into their applications, which was completely different from core LabVIEW programming and often required a significant application rearchitecture.

Many users chose to forgo the development advantages of the LabVIEW DSC Module due to the required application rework. LabVIEW 8 greatly simplifies development with the LabVIEW DSC Module through enhanced integration with the LabVIEW development environment, in addition to numerous new module features and updates.

LabVIEW 8 adds the concept of I/O tags within the core LabVIEW development approach through the LabVIEW shared variable feature. This unified API for sharing data among LabVIEW applications and across the network greatly simplifies distributed communication development. Additionally, the shared variable features a plug-in architecture with extended data services available through the LabVIEW DSC Module, including alarming, logging, scaling, and initial value settings. Through the shared variable properties pages, users interactively can configure multiple alarming conditions, set up database logging, apply customized value scaling, and set initial execution values. The configuration dialog then generates all the necessary code in the background.

Additional new LabVIEW 8 DSC Module features include:

Programmatic shared variable creation, modification, and deployment

LabVIEW event structure integration with value-change, alarm, and event registration features for event-based development without polling